Washington: Photos, Posters, and Prints

Washington State is teeming with natural attractions. The state is split into eastern and western regions by the Cascade Mountain Range. West of the mountains lies the coastal area of Washington State, which includes the largest city in the state, Seattle. Olympic National Park lies in this region on the Olympic Peninsula. The park preserves most of the Olympic Mountains, which harbor 60 glaciers and many miles of 60 miles of wild and scenic ocean beaches. Other attractions in this region are the San Juan Islands and extensive waterways used for recreation. The eastern slope of the state includes the headwaters of the Columbia river, which leads southward to form the border with Oregon. A few smaller mountain ranges dot the northern and southern areas of western Washington, with the Columbia Basin claiming most of the area. This region lies in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains. The northwest corner of the state contains Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. The lake extends 150 miles and was created by the Grand Coulee Dam.

Recreation opportunities in Washington state will please the skilled mountaineer and the novice hiker. Experienced individuals looking for a challenging climb can attempt to summit Mount Rainier. The National Forests that line the Cascades provide endless outdoor opportunities. Lake Roosevelt, in the east, will satisfy the desires of boaters, anglers, water skiers and sailors.

Washington State, bordering Canada and the Pacific Ocean, offers some of the nation’s finest scenery for outdoor recreation. It has the second-highest population of any western State, yet visitors can travel from any city centre to peaceful countryside within minutes. The Snake and Columbia rivers flow through eastern Washington before joining to cut a passage through the Cascades, the north–south mountain range that dominates the centre of the State, rising to 4392m (14,411ft) at Mount Rainier. There are many fine beaches and small resorts on the Pacific coast. Much of the State is covered by coniferous forest. Holiday highlights include yachting on Puget Sound, hiking along the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and mountain climbing in the Cascades and the Olympic Mountains.